It is a common problem for drivers to find and read the addresses of residences and businesses while driving, especially at night. One known solution to this problem is to internally illuminate the address from within a hollow sign housing, usually having a flat rectangular shape for mounting to the wall of a house or hanging from a lamppost. Another known solution is to place the address sign closer to the road, rather than mounting it directly on the building. In some cases, signs which have been separated from the building and moved closer to the road, for example attached to a mailbox or mounted in the yard at the edge of the street, have also been internally illuminated to further aid recognition at night.
An example of an internally illuminated address sign located on a house is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,798,323 to Witz. It has a hollow housing with an internal lamp and a partially translucent or transparent front face.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,525 to Williams discloses an internally illuminated address sign mounted in a yard with a number of ground piercing stakes. The sign is additionally solar powered.
Another solar powered illuminated yard marker is disclosed in U.S. Design Patent No. 315,928 to Flieder. A conventionally powered illuminated yard sign is disclosed in U.S. Design Patent No. 307,768 to Levin, again having a relatively one-dimensional hollow housing with a yard mounting stake. U.S. Design Patent No. 250,913 to Kozial discloses an internally lit address sign attached to a lamppost. U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,285 to Wise discloses a hollow mailbox post with transparent windows on two sides for address information and an elongated bulb in the post for internal illumination of the address.
These prior patents do not fully address the need for an internally illuminated address sign which can be easily read by drivers approaching from either side of the street, is weather-resistant, is simple to make, and is an attractive structural addition to a yard.